


scar tissues

by falconeggs



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Future Fic, Kid Fic, M/M, Plotting Husbands, Revenge, Time Skips, bottom robert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-27
Updated: 2017-06-27
Packaged: 2018-11-19 18:59:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11319621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/falconeggs/pseuds/falconeggs
Summary: In which Robert is nearly killed, so he and Aaron hatch a plan.Alternatively titled: "I Can Do Anything Better Than You" OR "Sneaky Husband Time".





	scar tissues

**Author's Note:**

> Many things happened for me to write this fic. The first, having to watch this terrible storyline and knowing I could make a better one that spanned over a long period of time that has everyone looking sympathetic and staying in character. The second, I imagined Robert almost dying and caught the feels. And, the third, revenge husbands is the best.
> 
> Enjoy!

Robert is feeling quite pleased with himself on his walk home. It's late, and he might have had one pint too many at the pub, but it didn't stop him from going to gloat.

Lachlan had been sentenced that afternoon. Frankly, Robert thought a life sentence was too lenient on the little psycho, but it would do just fine. With Rebecca having fled after losing the baby, and Lawrence meeting his end via Lachlan, Chrissie was left all alone at Home Farm, and Robert couldn't help but rub it in. It was too good of a chance to see her get upset. However, he may have gone too far with his words, as he tends to do when he's past sober.

As he walks, the smug grin etched into his entire face, he notices the moon. It's a clear night, and it's bright in the sky, very hard to miss. What he notices about it, though, is that it's not where he expected it to be.

He stops in his tracks and pulls his mobile from the pocket of his leather jacket. It's much later than he thought. He unlocks his phone and starts to text Aaron, apologizing for being late and that he'd be home in a few minutes.

The text is never sent. He's halfway through constructing it when he feels a contact with his back, just a quick burst of pain. She sheer force of it knocks the wind out of him, and he has to gasp for air. It subsides into a tingle, like something is wrong. There's someone behind him, and they're pressing something into the side of his back, but he can't really feel either of those things.

The tingle turns into pain, and he lets out a half-cry. He turns as he feels movement, and can see what has happened.

There's a big knife coming out of his back. The person holding it is sprinting away at a quick speed. There's blood. His head is spinning. It all hurts. It's fucking agony like he's never felt, like every nerve in his body is crying out for help. He collapses. He can't move.

He feels more helpless than he ever has before. Somehow, it hurts more than actually being stabbed.

"Help!" He calls, but it's weak, and part of him fears no one finding him.

He's lying a puddle of his own cooling blood. The last thing he sees is blurry feet running towards him.

 

  
* * *

 

  
Robert is in critical condition.

From what the doctors can tell, he was stabbed with a kitchen knife. One of his kidneys was damaged, and there's a small knick in his spleen. He's lost a lot of blood. The next few days are crucial in making sure that he survives. He hasn't woken up yet, but the doctors have him heavily sedated to make sure the healing takes place properly.

Aaron is a wreck. He paces back and forth in the family waiting area for hours at a time, looking more and more ragged as time goes on. He's only seen Robert twice in the last day, and it was barely for a moment.

"Go home," Vic tells him. "You're no good to him here, a disaster of a man. Get some rest. Take a shower. Eat some food. He'll be okay."

But Aaron is going exactly fucking nowhere while his husband is unconscious in some room somewhere. He doesn't give a shit who tells him to leave, he is not going anywhere. Not until Robert wakes up and tells him himself.

So, he waits. He curls up in the uncomfortable chairs. He takes a cup of tea from one of the kind nurses. He paces around. He asks, almost constantly, if he can see Robert, to which the answer is usually 'no'.

The police come by a few times, too, asking questions and seeing if Robert is awake yet. Someone makes a flippant comment about this being the second attempt on his life, and how Robert must not be very popular. Thankfully, Liv is there to keep Aaron from assaulting an officer, right there in the waiting room.

It isn't for another day and a half that he gets any news other than general, positive-thinking bullshit that doesn't actually put Aaron's mind at ease. The doctor comes over to he, Liv and Vic, with a hopeful look in her eye, but no smile on her face.

"He's stable," the doctor told them. All three of them let out a soft sigh of relief. "His vitals are looking great, and the wound seems to be healing nicely. The damage done to his organs will take some time to heal, but we're optimistic he'll pull through."

Aaron's heart mends a little more in his chest. He feels his eyes filling, but rubs at them before he can start blubbering. He nods, sniffling, then looks at the doctor. "Can we see him?" He asks.

She gives a nod, and takes a step towards the door. "I'll lead you there," she promises.

 

  
* * *

 

  
Robert wakes up four and a half days after the incident. He's in pain, and he's groggy, but the first thing he sees is Aaron.

He's asleep in the chair beside Robert's bed, arms folded loosely over his chest and his head turned towards his husband. His mouth hangs open a little, and it makes Robert's heart squeeze.

"Aaron," he says. Aaron shifts a little in recognition of his name. "Aaron." Robert reaches over to touch his leg, stretching a bit and pulling on some stitching that makes him wince.

Aaron wakes, and immediately is in action, pushing Robert back down into his bed. "You're not supposed to get up," he says. Robert has never seen Aaron so worried. "You scared the shit out of me."

Robert smiles a little and looks over Aaron's face. He takes in the deep purple under his eyes, and his haggard appearance. "I won't let it happen again, dear," he says, his voice hoarse from disuse. It makes Aaron smile, anyway, and he settles down in his seat, trying to wake up a little more. "What happened?"

"You got stabbed, didn't ya?" Aaron says, almost offhandedly, like he hadn't been restlessly worried sick for the last four and a half days. "It went deep. Hit your kidney and your spleen. Doctor says you should be okay. Gets you out of heavy lifting."

"You do all the heavy lifting anyway," Robert says. He thinks for a moment, his eyes darting around the room before they land on Aaron. "Do they know who did it?"

Aaron shakes his head, but stares at Robert for a long moment. "Do you?" He asks, realizing that Robert probably does know, because he always seems to know everything.

Before Robert can answer, though, his nurse comes in, and not the nice one, either. "Oh," she says. "You're awake. I'll get your doctor in a moment, then."

She checks his vitals, and Robert asks about everyone and how they're doing, further proving that Robert has changed a lot. He cares about Liv's grades and how the Woolpack is doing and if Adam is still sleeping on their couch. It makes Aaron happy, knowing that he brought out this truly caring side of Robert.

The doctor comes in a few moments after the nurse leaves, and she explains everything a little more clearly than Aaron ever could. Robert understands.

"The police would like you to make a statement," she tells him. "They've been in and out of here, checking on your progress."

"Do you know what they've found out?" Robert asks. He sits up a little more in his bed, but Aaron gives him a sharp look, wordlessly warning him to not move too much.

"I'm sorry," the doctor says, looking back and forth between the married couple. "I don't know anything about the investigation."

Robert settles back down, a slight grimace on his face. Aaron doesn't know if it's from the pain or from the lack of knowledge about what happened to him.

 

  
* * *

 

  
The police arrive about a half hour later. They express apologies about the situation, and try and ask him delicate questions about what happened.

It's clear they don't know much, other than Robert was stabbed, likely with a kitchen knife, and the attacker fled before anyone could see them.

"I'm sorry, detectives," Robert says after a few questions. "I don't remember much from that night. I hardly remember it happening."

"I understand this is difficult, Mr Sugden," one of the police says. "Any small detail could help us."

Robert thinks for a moment, and Aaron places a hand on his shoulder. "Shorter than me," he says. "Ran off in another direction than the one I was going. I don't know if it was a man or a woman." He pauses and sighs. "I'm sorry, I don't know anything else."

Aaron knows his husband. He knows every twitch of Robert's face and every lilt of his voice. Aaron knows Robert, and he knows when Robert is lying. It's not anything anyone else would catch, but he can tell by his tone and the way his eyes are moving slowly between the two policemen that Robert isn't telling them everything.

It's sufficient enough, though. They hand Robert their cards, in case he remembers anything else. With a wary smile, the policemen leave. Aaron waits a moment, then tears his eyes from the door to look at his husband.

"You lied to them," Aaron says, his voice quiet.

It grabs Robert's attention. After a perplexing moment, he laughs a little, wincing at his side. "Nothing gets past you, eh?" He gives his husband an affectionate smile.

Aaron is not smiling back. "You lied to the police, Robert," he hisses out. He waits, expectantly, for the truth, knowing that Robert isn't capable of keeping it from Aaron anymore. "What aren't you saying?"

Robert looks a little shaken. Considering the fact that he was stabbed and just got caught in a lie to the police, it was expected. "I know who did it," he says.

 

  
* * *

 

  
With no new evidence and no leads at all, the police shut down their investigation into Robert's stabbing.

When this happens, Robert is already back at home, with strict orders to do essentially nothing for at least six more weeks. Aaron makes teasing comments about Robert getting out of doing any real work.

Despite not having closure in their case, Aaron and Robert seem okay. They're happy, and making plans for their future, and just being a semi-normal married couple. Honestly, they're boring, with endless nights in and their simple, domestic bliss. When they're out, they're talking quietly with intense looks and smug smiles. Everyone has noticed.

Aaron fusses. Of course he does, absolutely no one can blame him for that. His husband was stabbed, and nearly to death. It would be adorable if it weren't so overbearing. It makes Robert feel good, though, because he loves attention, especially if it's from Aaron.

Aaron is holding one trainer in his hand, looking for the other, when Robert comes down the stairs. He's in a pair of Aaron's shorts, and holding his own trainers.

"Absolutely fucking not," Aaron says, immediately. "Upstairs. I'm not messing around, Robert. Get back into bed." He's firm in his words. He's taking Robert's healing process very seriously. He won't risk anything, not when he already came so close to losing Robert.

Robert continues down the stairs, anyway, ignoring Aaron completely.

Aaron darts in front of him and puts a hand on his chest to stop him. "If you don't get the fuck back in bed, I will knock you out and lock you in there." It's forceful. Aaron will do it. Robert's been mildly annoying all morning, which has his husband even grumpier than usual.

He's looking at Aaron like a warm, spring day. Aaron catches the affection, and hesitates. Robert doesn't look at him like that after being this annoying. He's falling in love with Aaron all over again, Aaron can see it in his eyes.

"What?" He asks, in a gruff way that comes with him being caught off guard.

Robert shakes his head, though, and looks away. "Nothing," he says. "I love you." He turns and starts to go back up the stairs.

"I love you, too?" Aaron says, confused by it all. He stands there for another moment, unsure of what exactly just happened, before going back to the kitchen.

He gathers some fruits and expensive, artisanal cheese that Robert loves, and a couple of beers, before he goes back upstairs, rather than out for the run he was planning on.

Robert's laid back against the headboard, scrolling through his phone, when Aaron comes into their bedroom. He puts his phone aside and sits up a little more, giving his attention to Aaron. "What's this?" He looks at the plate and the beers Aaron sets down on Robert's beside table.

Aaron climbs over Robert carefully and curls up on his good side. He presses a soft kiss to Robert's jaw as he takes his hand.

"Thought you were going for a run," Robert says, and Aaron can hear exactly how pleased he is that Aaron didn't go for a run.

"Changed my mind, didn't I?" Aaron says, all too content to be with Robert. The magic of having him home hasn't worn off.

Robert points to the plate and bottles to his left. "Is this for me?" He asks, honored and a little surprised to get something like this from Aaron, especially in bed.

"Nah," Aaron says, grinning. "Felt like torturing myself by eating that rank cheese in front of you." He reaches over and grabs a berry from the plate and eats it.

Robert gets that look in his eye, and Aaron isn't caught so off guard. It takes his breath away and makes his heart flutter. He used to dream of Robert looking at him this way, and the real thing is so much better.

"What?" He asks, and it's not so gruff or harsh. It's softer, in the special way only Robert has the privilege of seeing.

Robert smiles a little wider at him, his eyes dancing over Aaron's features. "I'm happy," he says. "Stab wound and all."

Aaron chuckles and looks down at their hands. "That's what's got you all soft in the eyes?" He teases Robert gently.

Robert nudges him a bit with his hip, and it only barely hurts. "I'm just thinking," he says, and his voice sounds the way his eyes look. "I'm not sure how to say it without sounding mental."

Aaron rolls his eyes. "I think you sound mental all the time." He's teasing, and stroking Robert's knuckles carefully.

"I want to start a family."

Aaron stops and looks at Robert's face. Robert was right, he sounds absolutely mental. Aaron leans back a bit to look at him a little more clearly. "You what?"

"I know," Robert says, waving his hand as if it proves his point of sounding mental, because he sort of does. "After everything with Rebecca, it's insane to want it. But I do."

Aaron stares at Robert. Rebecca losing the baby, and then admitting it wasn't Robert's after had hurt. The pair wanted it, they liked the idea of having a family. The thought of raising a child, even if Rebecca was there, too, had warmed them. There was a box of baby clothes and toys in their attic, untouched and desperately sad. A baby in the house had become a welcome idea up until everything changed for them.

"Liv will be away to Uni in a few weeks," Robert continued on. "We have the space and the time between the pair of us."

"Robert, we're expanding our business," Aaron said. "We have a plan, remember? We have so much to do. Business models and loans and classes and-. We can't care for a baby."

"We were going to," Robert says, and Aaron can hear how upset he is. It was almost exclusively Aaron who got to see how broken up Robert was about losing the baby. "We were ready. We still are, nothing has changed. We would be great dads." He pauses and his eyes, somehow, get even softer. "I want to start a family with you."

And how can Aaron say no? His heart flutters, and his stomach squeezes, and his eyes and just as soft and gooey as Robert's. "We'll look into options," he promises, knowing that they'll all be time-consuming and probably expensive.

"I love you," Robert says. Aaron doesn't get a chance to say it back before Robert is kissing him.

 

  
* * *

 

  
They don't really get a chance to really look into any options. Adoption is a long process, and seeking a surrogate is more effort than they can put forth right now. After all, they're busy men for the time being, and can't really look into having a baby.

But, it turns out that they don't have to.

Quite a few weeks after Liv has left for University and Robert has healed up nicely and he and Aaron's business expansion is well underway, Liv calls home.

"My roommate's little sister is four months pregnant," she tells Aaron on the phone. "She doesn't want it. Can I give her your number?"

He doesn't hesitate to say 'yes'.

Which is how Aaron and Robert end up having lunch with a pregnant sixteen year old whose mum is waiting outside.

Riley asks a few generic questions about them, but she seemed to already know a lot about them. Probably though Liv.

"Look," she says, not caring about the food in her mouth. Robert doesn't say anything about her manners, as much as he wants to. "I don't really care about your money or your house. I just want this baby going to a good home. And I know yours is good, 'cause I know Liv. She does nothing but talk about how great you two have been. This baby deserves a good home, and you deserve this."

Aaron and Robert look at each other for a moment. "You really want to give us your baby?" Robert asks, looking back to Riley.

"I don't want it," she says, like it's fucking nothing. "I can't take care of her. You'd do a better job with a baby than I ever could. I don't think I'm cut out for a dog, don't even start me on a baby, you know?" She stops, and her eyes widen. "I'll take care of it while I still have it. I promise. I don't smoke or nothing."

They're not really concerned about that. She's just a kid who got mixed up in life that she wasn't ready for. She was giving them the greatest gift anyone ever could.

"Do you want to be a part of it's life?" Aaron asks, leaning forwards and putting his hands on the table.

Riley shakes her head. "No," she says, like she's already thought long and hard about this. She has. "I think it would just be confusing. Just text me pictures of the big stuff."

Everything gets sorted. They go to every scan and are in almost constant contact with Riley. When the baby finally comes, they almost miss her.

They name their daughter Charlotte.

 

  
* * *

 

  
After an excruciatingly long night, Vic pokes her head into the backroom to find Chas. "I'm headed out," she announces with a smile. "You need anything else from me?"

Chas smiles back and shakes her head. Vic can see how exhausted she is. She's sure she looks just as exhausted. "Oh, one thing." Chas holds up a finger. "There's boxes at the door. You'll have to go out the front. Lock up behind you, yeah?"

Vic nods, waves, and departs.

She heads towards the front of the pub, and hears something from her left. She jumps, her hands immediately going to her chest, and sighs softly when she sees what made the noise.

"Scared the hell out of me, you did," she says to Chrissie. "What are you still doing here?" She takes a couple of steps towards her with a kind smile on her face. She's drunk, if the nearly empty bottle beside her is any indecation.

"Just didn't feel like going home," Chrissie slurs, and Vic isn't sure if she's ever seen her this drunk.

"Are you okay?" Vic asks.

Chrissie looks around. Vic notices more and more about her. Her hair is out of place. Her eyes have a bewildered haze to them. Her clothes are a little wrinkled and twisted. How long has she been here, alone, drinking until her sorrows were gone and came back again?

"I don't have anything," she mumbles, half intelligible. "He's got everything, and what do I have? Nothing. He took it all away from me."

"Slow down," Victoria says, sitting across from her. "What are you talking about?"

"I almost got him back," she continues on, her words muddling together and her eyes starting to lower. "I was so close. I don't know if he'll ever die."

This catches Victoria's attention. She doesn't interrupt, as much as she wants to. She has a feeling that Chrissie will keep talking. Chrissie is a dam a crack in it.

"I can't believe I let him into my life," she keeps on. "Everything fell apart the moment he walked into my life." Her jaw clenched tightly, and Vic can see her rage. Suddenly, everything clicks into place for Victoria. She knows.

It was Chrissie.

"He was almost dead," Chrissie seethes. "I almost had him, and he survived. He's got everything that I don't. Thriving business. Loving husband." Something switches completely within her, and her distant eyes well with tears. "A beautiful child."

Vic swallows, feeling completely overwhelmed. "Go home, Chrissie," she says, sharp and cold. This woman, who had been a friend to her for months now, tried to kill her brother. She had reason enough to hate Chrissie; Vic had been told many times she was too forgiving. She was not interested in looking at her, nonetheless helping her get home.

Chrissie understood the tone. She blinked a few times and nodded, but Victoria was already out of the booth and on her way down the street, darting past her own house to walk quickly down the street.

She arrives at the Mill and knocks rapidly at the door. She knows it's late, and that Charlotte is on a strict sleep schedule, but this is urgent.

Aaron answers the door a few minutes later, not completely awake. "Vic, what's going on?" He asks, trying to wake up, not knowing what she could possibly say to him, knowing their village.

"I know who tried to kill Robert," she says.

This wakes Aaron up a little more. His eyes look around behind her before he steps aside to let her in. Robert is coming down the stairs, rubbing his eyes.

They sit down. She tells them everything. They stay quiet, not really looking at her.

"Do you want me to call the police?" She asks.

Robert's eyes snap up. "No," he says.

There's a pause. "Because you want to be the one to do it?" She supplies.

"Because no one is calling the police," Robert says. "The drunken ramblings of my ex-wife aren't exactly evidence."

Vic looks at Aaron, who seems to agree with Robert. She sighs. "What do we do?" She asks.

"Nothing," he says.

Victoria's eyes widen in disbelief. "What do you mean, 'nothing'? That doesn't sound like you, Robert."

She looks between the two of them, who are still not saying too much.

"Oh my god, you knew the whole time," she realizes. "You knew it was her and you didn't say anything." Part of her is furious that he knew and she didn't. But, another piece clicks together. Her brow furrows as her eyes fix into her brother. "You have a plan."

Robert's entire expression shifts, smirking. "Of course I have a plan."

 

  
* * *

 

  
Robert and Aaron's business explodes. With the right amount of training, Aaron has quite the savvy business mind. Between that and Robert's charm and keen eye for numbers, their assets grow and grow every year. They expand. They venture out. Mostly, they enjoy their life, because they were given so much more to enjoy.

The pair have taken to fatherhood very well. They love her. They love taking care of her. It's the most natural thing is the world for them. Sure, there were a few hiccups in the beginning, but they smoothed out nicely. Charlotte is the best thing that's ever happened to them, no arguments.

Aaron has taken to calling their daughter Charlie, which Robert hates. He mostly calls her Charlie at home, because he knows Robert doesn't want it to catch on.

She's so beautiful. Every single day with her is the best day, just because she makes their life so much brighter. She's talkative from the start, and very stubborn. She's blunt, more so than most children, but she has a kind heart. More than that, she's very well behaved, and a joy to be around. Everyone falls in love with her instantly.

Her daddies love her the most, more than she could ever know. She was the missing piece they didn't know they needed. She is with them always constantly, at first in a baby sling, then sitting in their laps during meetings.

Shortly after her third birthday, Aaron and Robert are attending a very important dinner soirée. They worked endlessly to get invited, knowing that it would be the perfect opportunity to make excellent business connections. There is one client in particular they have been eyeing for a very long time, Marion Hours, who has a thriving business that would only increase theirs. They had gone so far to call her secretary to make sure she would be in attendance.

Robert keeps checking his phone for updates from Chas and Vic. There's nothing, which is a good thing, but he's still nervous to leave Charlotte.

Aaron takes one look at him, and takes his phone, sliding it into his own pocket. "She's fine," Aaron promises. He catches Robert's eyes and gives him a soft smile.

"I know," Robert sighs. He shakes himself out. "Doesn't mean I like leaving her, though."

Aaron puts a hand on Robert's arm, over the expensive suit that nearly matches Aaron's. "I don't, either," He admits. "I wish we could bring her to this. She's just like you, she'd love it."

Robert rolls his eyes, but it's true. In many ways, their Charlotte is just like Robert. She has a more refined taste in things already, and she loves to dress up. When it comes to events like these, she thrives, just like Robert does. Despite years of parties like this one and even as they venture deeper into their business, Aaron is still a little nervous around the fancier side of it all.

The reminder makes him tug on his jacket sleeves. Robert stills Aaron's hands with a little smile. "Can't get distracted tonight," he reminds Aaron. "Tonight's the night everything comes together."

Aaron nods and lets out a breath through his mouth. He smiles, the perfect, charming smile that he spend hours in the mirror practicing. It was almost like the smile he gives to Robert, and it always make's Robert's heart flutter. "Lets do this," he says, and he almost sounds excited about socializing with wealthy clients.

They take their time to get to Hours. They talk with other prominent clients of theirs first. Robert talks numbers. Aaron talks expansions. They both ask about clients' families, remembering names and short details easily. They answer easy questions about their baby. A few of the clients demand to see pictures, which they're all too happy to show off.

Then, they see Marion Hours across the room. They flag down drinks from one of the waiters and bring her one, charming smiles on their faces. She smiles back, pleased to see them.

Aaron and Robert have a terrific relationship with Ms Hours. She enjoys both of them individually, as well as a unit. She sees the benefit of switching to their company, but has a certain loyalty to her current partner. All the same, she likes Aaron and Robert. She likes their ethic and their dynamic.

Robert hands her the champagne he's grabbed for her and kisses her cheek. Aaron follows suit with a bright smile for her.

"It's so good to see you both," Marion says with a kind smile. "I was hoping you would be here." This is a good sign, they're already on the right foot. "How is that gorgeous daughter of yours?"

Aaron smiles brightly at the reminder of his little Charlie. "She's great," he says. Robert falls a little more in love with the warmth in Aaron's tone. "Keeping us on our toes, isn't she?" He looks at Robert, smiling at him.

"That's the nice way of putting it," Robert jokes. He looked to Marion. "How are your boys? Is Landon enjoying his new school?"

Marion smiles at the mention of her oldest son. "He's adjusting," she admits. "But he's making friends quickly. He's always been good at that."

As she takes a delicate sip of her drink, and as the pair of husbands are about to go into their well-rehearsed sales pitch, someone comes up and puts a hand on Aaron's shoulder. He and his husband turn to look, only to see a friendly face in a very nice suit.

Aaron quickly shakes hands with Rick, who has been a great business connection and even better friend. He's one of the few people from work that Aaron really enjoys spending time with. If he weren't so far away, Aaron is sure Rick would be a more permanent fixture in their lives. He's grateful to see Rick, especially now, in front of Marion.

"I didn't expect to see you here, mate," Aaron grins as Rick shakes Robert's hand.

"I had to make a quick stop and a friend of mine had a spare seat," Rick responds. He turns to Marion. "Richard Walker; my friends call me Rick."

He and Marion shake hands. "Marion Hours," she supplies with a smile.

"Rick was our first major contacts in America," Robert explains. "Because of him, we were able to expand our reach even further."

"America," Marion realizes, recognizing the shift in his accent. "That's quite a reach." She looks impressed, because she hadn't realized exactly how far Aaron and Robert had expanded.

Rick smiles at her and pulls Aaron a little closer to him. "These two helped me far more than I helped them," he says, and having Rick talk them up is a selling point they weren't expecting, but was definitely a good thing. "With their minds, I got to double my business within our first year teamed up. More than that, they care, you know? They've saved me so many times, I owe them so much."

Aaron makes a face at him. "We owe you just as much." Robert nods in agreement.

"You're too humble. Working with you was the best decision I've made." With that, their sales pitch goes out the window, because that's a selling endorsement. In a typical Rick way, he gets distracted by someone across the grand room. "I see someone I haven't seen in far too long," he explains with a wave and a smile. "I've got to keep making my rounds. It was wonderful to meet you, Ms Hours."

Marion gives him a smile. "And you, Mr Walker," she agrees.

"We'll catch up soon, boys?" He claps them both on the arms and walks away as quickly as he came.

Aaron is saying a silent 'thank you' for Rick. Truly, he and Robert couldn't have planned that. It was better than their original plan. By the look on Marion's face, she's very clearly impressed with them.

"You two seem to be doing quite well for yourselves," she notes aloud, taking another sip of her champagne.

Aaron and Robert share a smile, locking eyes for a moment. "We definitely can't complain," Aaron says, looking back to his friend. "And things only seem to be looking up."

Marion sighs softly and shakes her head. "You two are making it very difficult to continue saying 'no' to," she says, pointedly. "Between your capabilities and reputation, and Chrissie's mistakes becoming more frequent, it feels silly to continue to say 'no'."

Robert smiles at her. "Then don't say 'no'," he suggests.

"You know Chrissie will be raising her costs again," Aaron says, a sympathetic tone to his voice. "We can offer you fifteen percent less than she's giving you already, with a broader reach for your business."

Marion thinks for a long moment. It really is silly, at this point, to not switch companies. Chrissie isn't doing well. She hasn't been for a while. She's making missteps and paying the price for it. Why invest in a suffering business over a thriving one?

"Send my secretary a proposal on Monday," she says, deciding to make a better move for her own company. "I'm looking forward to doing business with you two."

It feels like time has stopped. This was it. This was the final piece, the one thing that would seal their fate. And it had gone more perfectly than they'd expected.

They kiss Marion on the cheek and take off in different directions. Robert tugs Aaron away from the party to a more private area. He pushes Aaron up against the wall and kisses him. Aaron is quick to get on board, his hands reaching up to cup at Robert's jaw.

It's wild and passionate, reminiscent of their first kisses in hidden places. Their hands are roaming and their tongues are dancing and soft noises of want and excitement mingle between their mouths. They want to press closer. They want to tear these expensive suits off each other. Mostly, they're proud of themselves and of each other.

When they finally pull apart, they don't pull away too far. Their foreheads press together, noses brushing.

"We did it," Aaron whispers. His delight comes bubbling out with his words.

"Thank you," Robert whispers back. "Thank you for this. I couldn't have done this without you."

Aaron smiles at him and kisses him gently. "I'm with you," he promises. "Every revenge plan, every big event, every single little thing, I'm gonna be here, with you, yeah?"

Robert smiles, too overwhelmed by his own emotion to say anything. He kisses Aaron again. This time, its softer, but just as lingering. They're smiling like a pair of idiots into each other's lips, but it doesn't matter.

They actually did it.

 

  
* * *

 

  
Chrissie stands in the middle of the main hall at Home Farm. The house is completely empty and echoing. Chrissie officially has nothing left. No family, no home, no money. Nothing.

She's cried over it already. Her eyes are red rimmed, but her face is neutral, completely inexpressive, as she looks around at where her things used to be.

She always had a fondness for this room room in particular. Some of her favorite things had gone in it, and they always made her feel at home. She loved how the natural light from the windows accented all of her artwork. Without her things, it's just a room with windows that were too big and echoes too loudly. It's just another of the many rooms in this house. A reminder that everything she worked for, everything she had, is gone.

When Marion Hours called her one Monday morning to cancel her contract with Home Farm, Chrissie knew she was fucked. From there, her business dwindled further until there was nothing salvageable, not even Home Farm.

"It looks bigger without everything in it," Robert comments from behind her. Chrissie jumps, having not heard him come him.

She looks at him with a deep scowl. "Don't tell me you're planning on taking this, too," she sneers, turning back to look at it all.

Robert chuckles from the doorway where he's leaning. "No," he says. "Aaron hates this place, and we're happy at the Mill."

"When why are you here?" She snaps, but she knows the answer.

"To gloat," he gives easily, and he reminds himself of five years ago. "So that you know exactly what happened to you."

She scoffs at him, her arms folding over her chest as she turns to look at him completely. "You honestly expect me to believe you planned this?" She asks him, almost hysterical. "Over several years, you meticulously planned the downfall of my entire life?"

"Just your business," he says. "The rest of your life was crumbling without me."

"Hardly," she quickly disagrees. "My family fell apart after you entered my life."

He raises his eyebrows at her. "I don't think I made your son into a serial murderer," he quips harshly. "I didn't tell Lachlan to kill your father. I didn't tell Rebecca to leave."

"None of this would have happened if you hadn't brought us here," she insists.

And maybe that's true. But it probably isn't. Lachlan would have always become what he had, and Rebecca has been a flake for longer than Robert's known her. Maybe the Whites could have been happy somewhere far from Emmerdale, but they'd never know that, would they?

"Believe what you'd like," he says with a wave of his hand. "But I had nothing to do with what happened to your family." He take a a pause to observe her, knowing that his next words would stir a reaction. "I started planning when I woke up after you tried to kill me."

Her eyes widen, just slightly, like she's trying not to react to the fact that Robert knows it was her. She's had nightmares about it for nearly five years. It's a secret she's been festering for ages, and the fact that he knew the whole time shakes her. Robert can see this in her masked reaction.

"I knew," he confirms. "I saw you running away."

"Why didn't you tell the police?" She asks. If he had, they would have caught her immediately, and she knows it.

"Because this was so much more fun," he says with a smug smile on his face. "Watching you fall apart while looking over your shoulder in the wrong direction? It was everything I've ever hoped for."

"And you really expect me to believe that you, somehow, you finagled your way to my clients?" She repeats, hysterics setting in just slightly further. "I'm sure you'll say you plotted every mistake I made."

"Just the first ones," Robert says effortlessly. "And then, you started making some on your own. Eventually, it was all you. Mistake after mistake, just letting your own life fall apart. You lost some confidence, ay?" He sounds amused, like he's too pleased with himself. He is. He feels like he has every right to be.

Chrissie doesn't have anything to say. She deserves something, probably, for stabbing Robert and nearly killing him, but taking everything from her? It felt like overkill. Chrissie had no savings. She had no place to go. She had absolutely nothing, and Robert had robbed her of all of it all while she wasn't paying attention.

"I want you to understand," he says. "This isn't just for what you did me. This is also for what you did to Andy."

Her eyes nearly bug out of her head at the mention of his brother. She hadn't thought about Andy in years.

"Andy?" She questions.

"Andy," he confirms. "My brother that you framed for attempted murder. Do you remember that? He had to leave the village. I haven't seen him since then. Do you know who else never saw him again? Sarah." A twinge of guilt courses through Chrissie. "My brother never got to see his daughter again, because of you." He huffs a little, and his eyes are sharper than she's been subject to in many years. "You think I took everything from you. You ruined my brother's life and then tried to kill me. And you were almost successful, too.

"So, while I was laying in my hospital bed, I thought about this moment," he continues on. "I thought about standing here, with the perfect life, while you have fuck all to your name. Part of what got me through it all was imagining how good it would feel to take everything away from you." He pauses, and the smugness that has made her stomach churn for years appears on his face. "You should know, it feels so much better than I thought it would."

Chrissie knows she deserves it. This village brought out the worst in her. She's messed with people's lives like it was her version of normal. She's completely shattered Robert and Andy's. As she listens, reminders of all of the terrible things she's done float in and out of her mind.

Robert sighs and walks past her, further into the big, empty house. "I should play the long game more, I think I'm better at it."

It was true. Nearly all of Robert's past schemes had failed. This one, though, drawn out through many years and meticulously planned, had come to fruition more perfectly than he could have expected.

"And what will Aaron do?" She asks, her voice surprisingly calm for someone who has just had their entire world rocked. "When I tell him about all of this?"

Robert looks at her like she's gone mad, then his features contort into something a little more amused. "You think he doesn't know about this?" He asks. "You think he wasn't right there with me, planning every step of the way?"

Chrissie feels a clattering of emotions. Foolish, for having thought Aaron wouldn't know. Surprised, because she never would have expected Aaron to go along with something like this. Angry, because, somehow, Robert got the devoted husband that he was supposed to be for Chrissie.

"And I assume he knows you're here?" She supplies for him, knowing that the last time he visited a White sister without Aaron knowing, bad things happened.

"I had to convince him not to come with me," he says, easily. "Not even I'm that heartless."

It would have been particularly painful to see Aaron here for this conversation, too. Her ex-husband and the man he had an affair with have the perfect life she always wanted. They have a successful business in her field, a gorgeous daughter, a family that supports them, a wonderful home. And she has nothing. She has a dead father, a runaway sister, and a son in prison for life. The reminder of the start of their knowing each other would have destroyed her.

Aaron got the life she always wanted. As much as she hates Robert, and as much as she wants to hate Aaron, she can't.

"He deserves better than you," she mumbles softly.

Robert chuckles. "I can't disagree with you there," he agrees. "But I'm not a good enough person to let him go."

Chrissie sighs a shaky breath. She looks at Robert, and there's no fight left in her. There's nothing left. Part of her knows she could get him back, that he deserves it for all he's done to her. They could drag this out forever, going in circles around each other for years to come. But there's a bigger, louder part of her that is tired, and defeated, and knows that she has been in the wrong for years. What does she have left in Emmerdale? Nothing.

"What more do you want from me, Robert?" She asks, and her desperation breaks through her tough exterior. "Take it all from me and then, what? Are you going to tell the police?"

"No," he says, quickly. "This has been enough punishment for you." And it has. Watching her slowly crumble while he succeeds has been much better retribution than seeing her behind bars.

"Then what do you want?" She cries. "You always want something. So what is it? What else could you possibly take from me?"

"I want you to leave," he says, simply. He's not really affected by her crying, and he never really has been.

She knows she will. She doesn't want to live here anymore. She doesn't want to to look at Robert, to be reminded of what she did to him. It's been eating her alive for all these years.

"Where am I going to go?" She whispers.

It cracks Robert. Seeing her this broken, it cracks him. This was the plan all along, to destroy everything she has. He doesn't feel bad about what he's done, and he doesn't necessarily feel bad for her. But they were married once. Before Aaron came along, Robert had loved Chrissie. Maybe that's why it cracks him. Or maybe it's all of the years he's been with Aaron.

Like Aaron told him to, Robert pulls his wallet from his inner jacket pocket. He opens it, and pulls out a wad of bills, walking over to her. He takes her hand and puts the money in it. "This is two and a half grand," he says, softly, meeting her eyes. He hasn't looked at her this closely since she drove a knife into his back. "Go somewhere. Start a new life. Find Rebecca or whatever else you want to do. Get your life back. But do it somewhere else." The threat is obvious; don't come back, or I'll tell the police everything.

She looks down at the money and stares at it with wild eyes. "I can't-."

"You can," Robert insists with a nod. He steps away and heads towards the door. "Consider it a peace offering." He turns to look at her again. "You won't hear from us again."

Chrissie stares at the bills. She doesn't want the charity, but she's not exactly in a position to give it back. Instead, she nods at Robert. She straightens her back and wipes her tears. "Thank you," she says. "This is probably more than I deserve."

He waves her off with a shake of his head. They stand there for a moment, taking each other in. Neither of them expected the end to feel this way. "I hope you have a good life, Chrissie," Robert says, and he means it. Underneath the crazy that the village tends to bring out in people, Chrissie was a good person with a good heart, just like Robert. Maybe their problem was always that they were too alike.

"You, too," Chrissie says, and she almost smiles at him. Robert turns to leave, but she calls him to stop. "I am glad, you know. That you got the life you always wanted. Even if it wasn't with me."

Robert makes a face that's half smug and half confused. "Don't tell me you still have feelings after all this time," he jokes, knowing it's not possibly true.

She snorts, and almost resembles herself. "Feelings for you?" She jokes back. "Don't be absurd."

Robert chuckles. He looks at her for a moment. "Goodbye, then," he says.

And he doesn't wait for a response. She says goodbye back just as he's closing the door behind him. Once he's inside his car, he lets out a gleeful laugh, like he's been surprised on Christmas morning with the perfect present.

The sky is mostly dark now, distant purples fading to black. The wind is calm and on the warmer end of the cool side. It feels good, to know it's finally over. He won.

"I fucking won!" he tells to the country road as he speeds back to the village, whooping it like a freedom song. He's had a lot of losses in his life, especially in regards to Chrissie. This win? It's near the top of his list of wins. This one sends shivers down his whole body.

 

  
* * *

 

  
He parks outside of the Mill and steps out of his car. The air tastes like his victory. It has since the night of the party almost a year ago, but it's more intense tonight. There's a finality to it all, a punctuation mark at the end of a very long sentence.

He takes a deep breath and walks inside, a big smile on his face. Aaron is at the top of the stairs, smiling back down at him from the bannister.

"Is Charlotte in bed?" He asks.

Aaron nods. "She's waiting for you to come say goodnight," he tells him.

It warms Robert, to know that his baby loves him almost as much as he loves her. He doesn't know how he survived without her or Aaron in his life.

He reaches the top of the stairs and kisses Aaron hello. They'll talk in a moment, after Robert says goodnight and Charlotte is all tucked in.

He lets go of Aaron slowly as he walks away, like he doesn't want to pull himself from him. He turns his eyes to the open door and walks in with a soft smile.

Charlotte's eyes are drooping. She's had a busy day and she's waited past her bedtime to say goodnight to her daddy. She smiles at him and sits up a little bit, but Robert can see that she's exhausted and moments from falling asleep.

Robert sits on the edge of her big girl bed and adjusts the covers around her. "You should be asleep," he tells her.

A silly little smile appears in her face, knowing that she should be. "Was your meeting good?" She asks him, and he loves her for it.

"It was very good," he tells her. "I got exactly what I hoped for." She smiles, satisfied with his answer. "Goodnight, baby, have sweet dreams." He leans over and kisses her cheek. She pats his face gently, too tired to hug him, and drifts to sleep.

He watches her for a moment, mesmerized by his little person. She's the most wonderful thing he's ever laid eyes on, and he still, after all this time, can't believe he has her. Watching her grow and learn has been the best experience for both he and Aaron. Every step she takes, they take with her.

He strokes her hand gently before getting up and walking out of the room. With one last glance, he pulls the door half closed and leaves.

Aaron is on the sofa, flipping through channels. He settles on some sitcom he barely recognizes and looks up at Robert just as he sits beside him.

"How did it go?" He asks.

"It went well," Robert says on a rough exhale, adjusting himself in his seat and moving a little closer to Aaron. "She's going to leave. Home Farm is completely empty."

Aaron nods as he listens. "Did she take the money?" He looks at Robert, knowing that he hadn't been interested in offering her anything at all.

Robert nods. "I gave her an extra five hundred," he admits. Aaron is pleasantly surprised at that. "She was crying."

Aaron rolls his eyes and settles into Robert's side. They're not really watching the television. Mostly, they're silently enjoying each other, and they're enjoying their victory. This was a long time coming. They're relieved. It's finally over for them.

"We did it," Aaron says after a few long moments. A grin spreads out on his face and he looks at Robert.

Robert leans forward and kisses Aaron deeply. They pull each other closer, desperate for one another. It was finally over. They could finally breathe and get on with their life.

Robert pushes Aaron back into the couch, and breaks their kiss. He gives Aaron and intense look, one that reminds Aaron of their first meetings. Aaron lurches forward and kisses Robert, fingers tangling into his blond hair. Robert is happy to kiss him back, for a moment, before he pulls back and pushes Aaron back to where he was.

He gets on his knees between Aaron's legs and looks up at his husband, a flutter going through his core at the reminder that Aaron is his husband.

He pulls Aaron from his sweatpants and strokes him a few times before meeting Aaron's eyes. Aaron leaks at the sight of Robert. He's gorgeous like this, on his knees for Aaron. It only gets Robert going further.

He takes Aaron into his mouth quickly, taking him all the way down until his nose was pressed into the hair there. He works Aaron exactly the way he likes it, slick and fast and deep.

Aaron's fingers thread through Robert's hair, a moan erupting through him. "Fuck, Robert," he groans, trying not to buck his hips up into Robert's mouth. "You're so good." Their eyes meet for a moment, and Aaron strokes his cheek gently, before Aaron throws his head back with another moan.

Robert's eyes close, and he focuses on sucking Aaron off. This is his way of saying 'thank you' for all these years. Robert would have never been able to do any of this without Aaron. He would have not succeeded without Aaron's constant help. It was nice to be so supported by someone.

Robert works Aaron's cock expertly, his tongue pressing on the vein on the underside with every upstroke to draw out these incredible sounds from Aaron's mouth. His hips are twitching up into Robert's mouth, unable to stop himself. It makes Robert gag a little, but he doesn't mind it. He likes that he can make his husband lose himself like this.

"Fuck, Rob," Aaron whimpers. "I'm gonna come." It encourages Robert, but Aaron pulls him off. "No." He looks over Robert's face. "I want to fuck you."

And those are some of Robert's favorite words. He leans up and kisses Aaron. It's slow, and filthy. Their tongues are sliding together and they're tugging on each other, desperate to be closer. Robert can't stop his hand from finding Aaron's cock to stroke it slowly. He pulls a moan from Aaron and swallows it, it's sweet in his mouth and chest and cock.

Robert settles in Aaron's lap, straddling him. One hand is between them, still holding Aaron, and the other is in his hair, starting to dampen from sweat. Aaron's hands are sliding around Robert's backside, before one slips into his jeans. His finger finds Robert's hole. He rubs against it gently, just enough to pull a delicious moan from Robert.

"Upstairs," Aaron whimpers into Robert's mouth. As much as he doesn't want to pull away, he agrees with the idea. Robert gives Aaron one last kiss before pulling himself off his husband.

Aaron follows Robert quickly up the staircase. They close Charlotte's door closed on their way past, their fingertips still brushing so they never lost contact.

Once their bedroom door is closed, Aaron has Robert pressed against it. His lips attach to the spot below Robert's ear, just to hear the little whimper he makes. It goes straight to Aaron's cock, and he doesn't want to wait anymore.

He tugs Robert towards their bed, a grin on his face. "I'm proud of you," he tells Robert. "You got what you wanted."

"You did half the work," Robert deflects in a very un-Robert way. He has this look in his eye that's making Aaron into ice cream in July. "I couldn't have done this without you. I'm so lucky to have you."

"We make a good team," Aaron says, a smile on his face and wonder in his eyes. This man was his. The man that never pressured him to be anything but himself, and embraced his more devious side. He's amazed that Robert is his, that Robert wants him still.

"We do," Robert says, and he punctuates it with a sweet kiss. "I'm almost sad this is over. I liked plotting with you."

Aaron chuckles against Robert's lips. "Plotted for five years," he mumbles. "I want to take a break." He pushes Robert down into their bed and climbs on top of him, kissing him again. "We've got the rest of our lives to take down our enemies."

His tone, the way his eyes look, and just the fact that his husband is on top of him excites Robert. He licks his lips in anticipation and meets Aaron's kiss.

They always want each other. No matter what happen with them, no matter what they go through, there's a shiver of want that goes through both of them. It usually slithers beneath everything they do, whether or not they're together. But right now, it's taking over. It's all they can think about.

There are too many layers between them. Aaron is considerate enough to unbutton Robert's shirt, rather than ripping it off of him like he wants to, because he knows Robert likes this shirt. More than that, Aaron likes Robert in this shirt, he looks good in it. Then again, Aaron thinks Robert looks good all the time.

Aaron doesn't have the patience, though, to treat the shirt well after it's off Robert's torso. He drops it off their bed without really paying attention between fevered kisses and lingering touches.

Robert is quicker. He unzips Aaron's hoodie and pushes it off his shoulders. As soon as it's out of the way, Robert's got his shirt off, and his hands are running over his muscles and fading scars.

They grin at each other, never really getting over this, not even after nearly ten years. They fall back together, pulling off their mess of clothing between quiet giggles and soul-gripping kisses. Their bodies are pressed tightly together, enjoying this too much to move on, but desperately wanting to get to the next part.

Aaron reaches over to night nightstand to grab the lube. As he slicks up his fingers, he settles between Robert's legs, finding Robert's entrance easily. He teases him for a moment, just to pull that perfect sound from Robert. He swallows his reward with a kiss and a grin, sliding two fingers into Robert. He gets a sigh of a response, like Robert's relieved to have Aaron inside him.

Aaron stretches Robert open slowly, exactly the way he knows Robert loves. He teases over the right spot to make Robert crazy, not relieving any pressure. He draws it out, because he loves to see Robert like this. Robert is begging for him, like he's been waiting for ages for Aaron to fuck him.

"Please," he whimpers, locking eyes with Aaron. His hand slides over Aaron's neck, fingers brushing over the short hair at the back of his head. "Please, Aaron." His eyes are wild with his need. It makes Aaron's breath hitch, and he starts to realize that this is never going to get old.

He can't deny Robert. He can't deny himself Robert. He kisses his husband, pulling his fingers out of him. He doesn't break the kiss for a long moment, only when Robert whines into his mouth and grinds his hips on Aaron's.

Robert hears Aaron's chuckle, vaguely. Mostly, he feels the sensation of Aaron moving. His head is at Robert's entrance and he's slowly pushing in. He's dragging across Robert's walls so painfully slowly, it makes Robert keen.

When Aaron is buried deep inside Robert, when the boundaries between them are blurred into almost nothing, Aaron kisses Robert. He can't get enough of kissing Robert, and he never wants to. He adjusts Robert's legs around him into a position that's only uncomfortable at first.

As soon as he starts moving, the awkwardness of their position fizzles, and all they can both feel is how amazing they are. Aaron starts off slow, knowing that Robert both hates prep, and hates how sore he gets without it. And, anyway, Aaron loves opening up Robert on his cock. He likes to pull the low moans from Robert.

"Robert," he whispers, his eyes falling closed for a moment. He loves this. He loves being with Robert, in their bed that they earned.

Robert reaches up and strokes over Aaron's cheek. His beard is a longer than it was years ago, and Robert likes it more than he thought he would. The touch makes Aaron open his eyes. "Give me more," Robert begs, because having Aaron inside him isn't enough.

"Needy bottom," Aaron teases, but relents anyway. He pulls out, then snaps his hips back into Robert with a grunt.

Robert's head is thrown back with the first thrust. His eyes squeeze shut at the feeling of Aaron hitting his prostate every single time. It's why he puts up with this position. Aaron can make him fall apart the exact way he wants to when his legs are wrapped this way.

It doesn't take long for Robert to become a mumbling mess. The sounds he's making are just sounds, because he can't even form words with how perfectly Aaron is fucking him. Aaron is the only one who can make Robert lose words.

"Love you like this," Aaron murmurs, leaning down to kiss and bite and suck on Robert's neck. "Like if I stopped, you'd lose your fucking mind."

"Don't fucking stop," Robert begs. "Aaron." And he can't stop repeating the name. It's his prayer, because he feels God when Aaron is inside him. "Aaron." Because he can do anything with Aaron.

They catch each other's eyes, and the intensity in each other is almost overwhelming. Their love and passion and victory lights up both sets, and they can't look away. They don't want to look away. This, the passionate looks in the middle of their fucking, is one of their favorite sights.

"Fuck, Rob," Aaron chokes, because he's been close since they started. "I'm gonna come."

Robert nods, pulling him in for a kiss. "Come," he mumbles against his lips. He sounds more desperate than before, like he's begging for Aaron to come inside him, and how could Aaron possibly deny Robert?

The intense pleasure of Robert brings Aaron right to the edge. With one last look, one more meeting of their eyes, Aaron comes with a shout, spilling deep inside him. He's pressed against Robert's sweet spot, he knows without the loud moans. He wraps his hand around Robert's aching cock, stroking it just a few times, before Robert is coming in his hand.

They come down slowly, twitching and grinning at each other. Aaron pulls out of Robert, very carefully, and Robert whines at the loss of contact. They don't pull apart too far, though. Their sweat-soaked bodies are wrapped up in each other. They're fucked out, and still panting, but basking in each other.

"I love you," Aaron murmurs against maybe Robert's shoulder. He's not really sure what he's been kissing absently for the last few minutes. "I don't tell you that enough."

"I know," Robert says, softly. "You don't have to say it." He does know. He sees it in everything Aaron does for him and their family. He doesn't need to hear the words, but it's always nice to have the confirmation. "And I love you, too."

Aaron's fingers find the scar on Robert that started it all. It's still thick, and it may be there for the rest of their lives, but it's not so bad, he thinks.

It's not like his scars. His are reminders of his lowest point. They're reminders of a place he never wants to be again. The loathing creeps up on him less and less, and, some days, he forgets they're there. But, occasionally, he stares at them too long, or he has a nightmare, or he just remembers everything, and it all overwhelms him.

Robert's scar, small and thick and life-changing, inspired them to be greater. It pushed them to have everything they wanted in life.

It tickles, as Aaron's fingers graze over it. Robert squirms and takes his hand, locking it with his own. He twists a bit to look at Aaron. He's content to look at the man who eased him into the mostly-kind person he's become.

He thinks about these five years. In half a minute, his mind flickers through every single moment. He remembers Aaron in the hospital chair beside him, asleep. He remembers the accidental late nights of the pair of them talking through every aspect of their plan. He remembers how passionate Aaron became when it came to their plan. He was just as determined to beat Chrissie as Robert was.

Robert smiles a little, realizing for the hundred millionth time that Aaron is the love of his life. He knows how lucky he is to have him.

"There's nothing I could do to deserve you," Robert decides. Chrissie had been right about that much. Everyone has thought it at some point.

Aaron turns his head to look at Robert. Their noses brush together. Aaron looks back and forth between his husband's eyes. "You gave me a good life," he says, quietly, feeling a little softer in his blissed state, more willing to open up. "You introduced me to a world I didn't think I'd like. You take care of me. You hold me when I have nightmares. You understand what I'm feeling without me needing to say anything. You're the father of my perfect daughter. I think we're about even."

Then again, Robert could say all of those things about Aaron, too.

"I got you plotting a systematic, long-term revenge on my ex-wife," Robert says. "Doesn't sound like a great influence."

Aaron's brow quirks at Robert. "I think I plotted a systematic, long-term revenge on the person who tried to murder my husband," he reasons, easily. He pauses and sort of smiles. "My idea of revenge is assault. I think you're a great influence."

Robert can't really argue with that.


End file.
